Numerous sanitizing-type dispensers have been devised for use with a toilet tank to permit feeding of a chemical into the water within the tank to control problems caused by hydrogen sulfide, maganese and iron, to control algae and slime, and to provide disinfectant. Many of these known dispensers have been suspended in the tank or have been deposited directly on the bottom wall thereof.
While dispensing devices of the above-mentioned type have been widely used, nevertheless their performance has been less than satisfactory. One of the major problems associated with known dispensers is the lack of uniformity in the amount of chemicals dispensed throughout the life of the device. With most of these known dispensers, the receptacle is provided with one or more openings therethrough to permit communication between the chemicals within the receptacle and the water in the tank. Due to the manner in which this communication is provided, it has been discovered that the amount of chemicals which are mixed with the water during the initial stages of operation, such as when the dispensing device is new, is greatly in excess of the amount necessary to permit effective sanitizing of the water. The chemical is thus initially utilized at an inefficient and rapid rate. On the other hand, after the dispenser has been installed within the tank for a substantial period of time, and the chemical is substantially used up, then the quantity of chemical dispensed is inadequate. These prior devices thus do not result in uniform sanitizing of the water.
These known dispensing devices experience still a further common problem since they normally utilize one or more small orifices formed in the wall of the dispenser for providing communication between the dispenser and the surrounding body of water. When the dispenser has been positoned within the water for a period of time, the small orifices become encrusted with solid material which partially or totally closes off the orifices and prevents operation of the dispenser. This problem is particularly severe since most known dispensers utilize extremely small orifices in order to control the dispensing rate of the chemicals.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved dispenser which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages. Particularly, the objects of the present invention are the provision of:
1. A dispenser, as aforesaid, adapted to be positioned within a toilet tank for permitting effective and efficient sanitizing of the water within the tank.
2. A dispenser, as aforesaid, which permits relatively uniform dispensing of chemicals into the surrounding water throughout the life of the dispenser.
3. A dispenser, as aforesaid, which permits the optimum dispensing of chemicals to permit effective sanitizing of the water, while resulting in efficient use of chemicals so as to substantially increase the usable life of the dispenser.
4. A dispenser, as aforesaid, which is economical to manufacture, is easy to install, is economical and efficient in operation, and is readily disposed of or refilled when the dry chemical has been used up.
5. A dispenser, as aforesaid, which utilizes a stand-pipe extending between the water and the interior of the dispenser, which standpipe defines an opening therethrough of substantial diameter and axial length to provide uniform dispensing of chemicals and at the same time eliminate the problem of the opening becoming closed due to the encrustation of solid material.
Other objects and purposes of the present invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with devices of this type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.